Missouri bowler first to join 60-Year Club at 2021 USBC Open Championships
June 24, 2021
LAS VEGAS - Clancy Mueller of St. Charles, Missouri, grew up setting pins for, or competing with and against, some of the most notable names in bowling, including the record-setting Budweiser team of the 1950s.
While the famous quintet of Ray Bluth, Don Carter, Tom Hennessey, Pat Patterson and Dick Weber also combined for well over 100 appearances, a dozen Eagles and three United States Bowling Congress Masters titles on the stage used annually for the USBC Open Championships, there's something Mueller was able to accomplish that they never did.
Mueller's march to the tournament lanes Wednesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza earned him entry into the event's 60-Year Club as the elite group's 28th member. His Open Championships debut came at the 1955 tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
He was the first of two bowlers scheduled to reach the milestone at the 2021 Open Championships, and he'll be joined in the club by Norm Cummings of Reno, Nevada, who is scheduled to compete in July.
Mueller received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip to commemorate the milestone.
"Everybody treated me just super, and it was incredibly special," said Mueller, who was escorted to the lanes by his youngest daughter Terri and granddaughter Kristen. "When I started, I had no idea I'd come to this many tournaments, let along live to be this age, but it has been a lot of fun. I still bowl a lot and plan to continue for as long as possible. I'm definitely looking forward to next year."
Mueller originally hoped his 60th Open Championships would be a double milestone that included becoming a member of the even-more-elite 100,000-Pin Club, but his pinfall pace slowed a bit since posting a 1,866 all-events total in his 50th appearance in 2010.
The 84-year-old right-hander entered the 2021 Open Championships needing 2,222 pins to reach 100,000, so it's only fitting for the milestone to happen in 2022 when the tournament returns to Las Vegas and the South Point Bowling Plaza, one of Mueller's favorite venues.
"I've been coming to South Point for 8-10 years, and it really is a great property and a great place for watching bowling," Mueller said. "I've been here to watch the World Series of Bowling, and I've enjoyed competing here. Everything you need is right on the property, but if you want The Strip or other entertainment, it's all close by."
Even though he'll have to wait at least a year for a chance to become the 25th member of the 100,000-Pin Club, Mueller appreciates the challenge of the tournament lane conditions.
"The people make the event, but the conditions are nice because they're true conditions and make you prove if you're a bowler or thrower, and it also makes you work on your game, if you want to do well," said Mueller, a retired UPS supervisor who still bowls five days a week. "I struggled out there today, but it was my fault. I don't have the control like I used to. If I threw the ball correctly, it was in the pocket, and that's all you can ask for."
Mueller, who was inducted into the St. Louis USBC Hall of Fame in 2013, lists his 50th and 60th tournaments as easy favorites, but there were some other great memories along the way.
At his 50th event, he was able to share the moment and memorable all-events performance, with his late wife, Joann, and both of their daughters, Terri and Linda.
This year, he was surrounded by his extended family, a group of 15 teams organized by past Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion Toby Contreras of Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Many of the group members wore special jerseys commemorating Mueller's milestone appearance, which originally was scheduled for 2020 in Reno, Nevada, before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the event. He was understanding of the circumstances, however.
"I don't think it affected me too much, plus everyone was shut down, and there wasn't much we could do about it," Mueller said. "We followed the rules and stayed safe and were fortunate that no one in the family got sick. Now, I've got my shots, and we're moving forward."
Also among Mueller's career highlights are his first 1,800 (1,858), which came in his second event in 1959 (St. Louis), his first 1,900 (1,914), rolled in Buffalo, New York, in 1963 and a 298 game in doubles in Billings, Montana, in 2002. A few other runs at 300 stand out, despite ending in the 270s each time.
Mueller inched closer to his next goal of 100,000 pins this week at South Point with sets of 489 in team, 472 in singles and 416 in doubles for a 1,377 all-events total.
Through 60 years, his career pinfall stands at 99,155, for a career average of 183.6.
He'll enter the 2022 Open Championships 845 pins from the next coveted plateau.
Jamie Brooks of Plano, Texas, was in a similar position earlier this year. He left his 60th tournament appearance in 2019 just 381 pins shy of 100,000 but made quick work of the task when he added his name to the short list during the 2021 event's opening week in May.
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While the famous quintet of Ray Bluth, Don Carter, Tom Hennessey, Pat Patterson and Dick Weber also combined for well over 100 appearances, a dozen Eagles and three United States Bowling Congress Masters titles on the stage used annually for the USBC Open Championships, there's something Mueller was able to accomplish that they never did.
Mueller's march to the tournament lanes Wednesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza earned him entry into the event's 60-Year Club as the elite group's 28th member. His Open Championships debut came at the 1955 tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
He was the first of two bowlers scheduled to reach the milestone at the 2021 Open Championships, and he'll be joined in the club by Norm Cummings of Reno, Nevada, who is scheduled to compete in July.
Mueller received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip to commemorate the milestone.
"Everybody treated me just super, and it was incredibly special," said Mueller, who was escorted to the lanes by his youngest daughter Terri and granddaughter Kristen. "When I started, I had no idea I'd come to this many tournaments, let along live to be this age, but it has been a lot of fun. I still bowl a lot and plan to continue for as long as possible. I'm definitely looking forward to next year."
Mueller originally hoped his 60th Open Championships would be a double milestone that included becoming a member of the even-more-elite 100,000-Pin Club, but his pinfall pace slowed a bit since posting a 1,866 all-events total in his 50th appearance in 2010.
The 84-year-old right-hander entered the 2021 Open Championships needing 2,222 pins to reach 100,000, so it's only fitting for the milestone to happen in 2022 when the tournament returns to Las Vegas and the South Point Bowling Plaza, one of Mueller's favorite venues.
"I've been coming to South Point for 8-10 years, and it really is a great property and a great place for watching bowling," Mueller said. "I've been here to watch the World Series of Bowling, and I've enjoyed competing here. Everything you need is right on the property, but if you want The Strip or other entertainment, it's all close by."
Even though he'll have to wait at least a year for a chance to become the 25th member of the 100,000-Pin Club, Mueller appreciates the challenge of the tournament lane conditions.
"The people make the event, but the conditions are nice because they're true conditions and make you prove if you're a bowler or thrower, and it also makes you work on your game, if you want to do well," said Mueller, a retired UPS supervisor who still bowls five days a week. "I struggled out there today, but it was my fault. I don't have the control like I used to. If I threw the ball correctly, it was in the pocket, and that's all you can ask for."
Mueller, who was inducted into the St. Louis USBC Hall of Fame in 2013, lists his 50th and 60th tournaments as easy favorites, but there were some other great memories along the way.
At his 50th event, he was able to share the moment and memorable all-events performance, with his late wife, Joann, and both of their daughters, Terri and Linda.
This year, he was surrounded by his extended family, a group of 15 teams organized by past Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion Toby Contreras of Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Many of the group members wore special jerseys commemorating Mueller's milestone appearance, which originally was scheduled for 2020 in Reno, Nevada, before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the event. He was understanding of the circumstances, however.
"I don't think it affected me too much, plus everyone was shut down, and there wasn't much we could do about it," Mueller said. "We followed the rules and stayed safe and were fortunate that no one in the family got sick. Now, I've got my shots, and we're moving forward."
Also among Mueller's career highlights are his first 1,800 (1,858), which came in his second event in 1959 (St. Louis), his first 1,900 (1,914), rolled in Buffalo, New York, in 1963 and a 298 game in doubles in Billings, Montana, in 2002. A few other runs at 300 stand out, despite ending in the 270s each time.
Mueller inched closer to his next goal of 100,000 pins this week at South Point with sets of 489 in team, 472 in singles and 416 in doubles for a 1,377 all-events total.
Through 60 years, his career pinfall stands at 99,155, for a career average of 183.6.
He'll enter the 2022 Open Championships 845 pins from the next coveted plateau.
Jamie Brooks of Plano, Texas, was in a similar position earlier this year. He left his 60th tournament appearance in 2019 just 381 pins shy of 100,000 but made quick work of the task when he added his name to the short list during the 2021 event's opening week in May.
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